Sales Triple at London Pub After it Goes Vegan

Eatery The Blacksmith and The Toffeemaker threw out its meat grinder in January, eliminated straws, and intends to stay fully vegan forever.

English pub The Blacksmith and The Toffeemaker has reported an increase in sales by three-fold after it removed animal products from its menu earlier this month. The pub’s general manager Sam Pryor toldMetro UK that while the business intended to be entirely plant-based for a limited-time, the restaurant will remain vegan “for as long as the pub is standing.” The Blacksmith and The Toffeemaker initially transitioned to a plant-based menu and eliminated straws to reduce food waste. “From a sustainability point of view,” Pryor said, “it’s tragic to see the huge amount of resources that go into feeding livestock for meat only for us to have to throw unsold meat out once it’s past its use-by date.” Pryor explained that in addition to food waste, the pub implemented the new vegan menu to take a stance against the “horrifying” practices of animal agriculture. “Organizations such as Veganuary are increasing the profile of veganism in the United Kingdom all the time,” Pryor said, “and the number of people choosing a vegan diet is growing exponentially.” The Blacksmith and The Toffeemaker joins a number of UK eateries—including popular café The Fields Beneath—that have transitioned to fully vegan menus in recent months.